


a lifetime with you isn’t enough

by NohrianTomatoes



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Dancing, First kisses gone wrong, Fluff, Leokumi Week 2019, M/M, then kisses gone right
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21727453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NohrianTomatoes/pseuds/NohrianTomatoes
Summary: Leokumi Week 2019Can I finish seven prompts? Who can never be sureAll Comfort, No Hurt, Only Fluff, Probably No Sex? Let’s go
Relationships: Leon | Leo/Takumi
Kudos: 18





	1. Day One: Dancing

**Author's Note:**

> completely unedited, welcome to grammatical errors

The night doesn’t offer many sounds in Nohr. Leo should be used to the deafening silence, to the only noise being the settling bones of an ancient castle and every now and again the hurried footsteps of those who wander in the dark, hurrying to be back safe in their bed. But Leo has been spoiled by the gentle sounds of Hoshido filling his bedroom, the running of water in the gardens and several crickets and frogs who fall even late into the season. He grips his sheets tighter in an attempt to control his aching heart, but of course fails. 

“You’re not usually up this early,” Leo jumps at the sound of Takumi’s voice, betraying his unease, “woah- hey, is everything alright?”

“I- it’s fine-“ Leo turns over, seeing Takumi up and staring out the sliver of open curtain, “why are you awake?”

Takumi is quiet as he comes to sit on the bed, his long hair curling just above the sheets, “the same reason you’re awake now, of course. Uh... Nohr is just too damn scary, you know? Your castle is old and creepy.”

Leo snorted at that, pushing his sheets away and letting his feet rest against the floor, the cool stone still heavy beneath his plush rug. He takes a moment before standing, offering a hand to Takumi, “come walk with me? I’m sure it’ll make this terrifying castle less so.”

Takumi gives Leo a once over before rolling his eyes, a hand slipping easily into Leo’s grasp, and Leo lead Takumi out of his room slowly, swiping a sconce from the wall outside his door before they continued on. 

“Did you always wander like this as a kid?” 

“Never,” Leo shook his head, “despite being a prodigy, I never quite felt safe leaving my room in the dead of night. Not to mention all the ghosts, you know-?”

“Leo! Gods!” Takumi slapped Leo’s arm with his free hand, his other gripping tighter, “this is exactly the decrepit, nasty castle that we tell ghost stories about!”

“My home is neither decrepit or nasty,” Leo sniffed, pushing open an heavy door and pulling Takumi into a room lit only by moonlight peaking through the high windows, “don’t make me regret bringing you along- I’m trying to share some of this dusty old palace with you.”

“Is this... the ballroom?” Takumi ignored Leo, letting go of his hand and taking a few steps in.

“Yes. I figured you would want to see it empty, since we’re always stuffed into here like sardines for those awful functions,” Leo took a few striding steps in, the sound quiet compared to the typical clacking of his heels. 

“Being here in pajamas feels a bit strange,” Takumi said, pulling his robe a little closer, “it’s so... empty. I can actually breathe in here for once.”

“It’s a beautiful room, truly, I just wish I could appreciate it like this more often,” Leo let his hands care through the heavy fabric of the curtains, a wistful smile crossing his face, “Elise and I played hide and seek a few times in here. Her favorite place was always behind these curtains, but she never realized I could see her shoes poking out from underneath.”

Takumi covered his mouth for a laugh, joining Leo for a moment before slipping a hand into his again, “and you never told her? What a terrible brother you are, exploiting her like that.”

“She never learned- even in Corrin’s castle she’d do the same-“

“Hey, come dance with me?”

“What?” Leo could feel his cheeks heat as Takumi pulled him along, out to the empty dance floor, “a dance, now?”

“Yes, now. Just something slow, alright? I feel like we never get to dance at those parties,” Takumi easily positioned his hands, indeed in the same way Leo had shown him for a more intimate and slow dance. Leo was a bit slow to reciprocate, but soon they were swaying along together, Takumi leaning forward to rest his head against Leo’s. 

“Love, are you alright?”

“Of course not...” the answer was whispered, Takumi’s grip tightening ever so slightly, “it doesn’t matter how many weeks pass, those nightmares never get any easier...”

“I understand,” Leo held him close, feet rocking and continuing to sway along with Takumi, “take as long as you need. That’s why I wanted to get out of that room.”

“Thank you,” Takumi murmured, falling silent after and simply holding onto Leo. The silence of the castle held them in like a blanket, comforting and suffocating and all Leo was ever used to. He could imagine, with their gentle swaying, that it was a brighter day, one with drinks and laughing and the sound of music to accompany their slow motions; where he and Takumi would have freshly adorned rings and be completely incapable of running off to the library to hide. 

It was a gentle sound that brought Leo back, Takumi’s weight slack in his arms and his breathing even. The gentle kiss pressed to Takumi’s neck couldn’t hide his smile, and a gentle hand reached up to card through Takumi’s hair. 

“Love, lets go,” Leo cooed, hoping to wake Takumi. Carrying him to bed sounded romantic and all too exhausting, “we can’t sleep on the dance floor- what would our siblings say, hm?”

“Oh... I- sorry about that,” Takumi murmured, his voice heavy, “let’s go... my feet are freezing...”

Leo snickered, an arm around Takumi’s waist as they began the slow walk back to his room. 


	2. Day Two: Kissing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again unedited  
> Takumi is always bi/ace in my stories and I feel like that’s relevant to note here

It’s awful. 

It’s wet, clammy lips and something gross that feels like a slug and Takumi pushes the shoulders of the boy away and spits. His face burns as he’s insulted and pestered and laughed at and immediately he’s cemented himself as the worst kisser in their grade and he wants to curl up and die. 

It’s because it was a boy, right? Maybe that’s why it was wrong and bad because boys had bad lips. His older siblings said girls had soft lips and were good at kissing. They said girls were better and maybe Takumi should have listened to them. What could he know? It was his first kiss, he didn’t know better. 

-

Girls weren’t better. Girls weren’t softer and their tongues still felt heavy in his mouth and he can’t move and he’s suffocating and he pulls away-

Maybe it’s because it was Oboro. He knew she liked him and he wanted so bad to like her back, to be a cute couple and to have all those warm and fluttery feelings he was supposed to have but it didn’t work and nothing clicked and he feels terrible at the way she looks at him. He tries to make up for things and remind her how pretty she looks in that dress, but he can tell he’s ruined the evening. 

They break up soon after. 

-

Maybe he’s thinking too hard. Takumi pounds another shot and cackles as Hinata gags at the taste and finds himself driven on pure instinct to grab his cheeks and scrunch his eyes and kiss him hard. 

He tastes of alcohol and spit and Takumi can feel his stomach churning. God it’s wrong, it’s so wrong but he’s too drunk to feel and he keeps trying, since Hinata seems to be putting forth a valiant effort. 

He pulls away and Hinata immediately claps him on the back and laughs as if nothing has changed and Takumi can’t help but be thankful of how clueless his friend is. 

They drink more, they don’t talk about it. 

-

He feels soft and welcomed by this action. It’s a greeting, gentle in the way it calls Takumi home and he can’t help but feel dizzy by how different this is. He tries to make a joke, to laugh about Leo being so domestic as to peck him on the cheek but then Leo is blushing and sputtering and Takumi feels so right in this moment. It has to be right with him, he knows it, and yet he doesn’t lean in, doesn’t try to push past his lips, and Leo has to close the gap but it’s...

It’s so soft. And Leo doesn’t push into his mouth. And Leo doesn’t ask that of him. And Leo is comfortable with quiet nights on the couch and cuddling together in bed and teasing each other over past mistakes and he never asks more of Takumi and he can’t help but feel whole and warm like this. 

Maybe like this, maybe with him, he feels alright. 


	3. Day Three: Supernatural

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’ve read any of my siren!au in that giant 100 themes story I have, basically this was going to be the epilogue.

Leo strolls the beaches often, looking for a pair of amber eyes staring up out of the dark and calling him to a place he can finally visit. He still doesn’t know if he wants to see Hoshido again just yet- he’s still no good at swimming and it would be too embarrassing to have Takumi pulling him around. But simply the fact he knows he could disappear now and face no further repercussion... Xander certainly was a better king than their father ever had been.

Leo’s walks have been daily, however, and his antsy behavior has been noticed by his sisters. They tease him for how eager he is to see Takumi again, and it reminds him of all those years ago when he first met the siren washed up on the beach. 

Something odd catches his eye- the shape of a human lying on the sand, curled up on themselves and shivering. Leo runs forward, feet slipping and catching as he goes to the person’s aid. There had been a storm yesterday, but nothing so bad as to wreck a boat- or had a villager gotten too bold with the surf? Gods this was not what he needed today. 

“Hello? Are you alright?” Leo had already unclipped his cloak, laying it over the body, “here, this should keep you warm. What are you doing out here?” 

“Leo?” His blood was ice in his veins at the sound of that raspy voice, Leo’s grip suddenly tight on the shoulder of the stranger. “Gods how terrible my luck, huh? How come you’re always coming to my rescue?” The figure turns and while the face is human, the messy tangle of hair framing those golden eyes is enough to give away the true identity of this stranger. 

Gods Takumi was beautiful...

“Leo? You alright?”

“That’s Prince Leo, to you,” suddenly his body was working again, Leo pulling Takumi up from the sand and standing steady as the siren leaned against him, clearly unsteady on his legs. “What kind of magic is this?”

“The kind I’m absolute garbage at,” Takumi chuckled, pulling Leo’s cloak tighter around him, “I wanted to surprise you, but I guess I got ahead of myself... hey, why are you humans so terrible at keeping warm?”

“Well we wear clothing, first of all,” Leo’s tone was snappy but gods he couldn’t help but feel terribly distracted by Takumi’s new form, “you should have warned me; I would have brought you something better than a flimsy cloak.”

“Warning you would have spoiled the surprise, don’t you think?”

“Irrelevant. You can’t walk around in the nude and I’m not wearing enough layers to give you. Besides, winter is around the corner- you’ll freeze to death if you try this again,” Leo guided Takumi away from the wet sand and to an outcropping of rocks and bushes, safe from any incoming wind. 

“I didn’t think I’d be so thin in this form- it makes me feel flimsy. You’re so small too, are all humans like this?” Takumi curled closer to Leo as they sat, knees tucked to his chest. Leo felt his heart skip another beat at the gesture, all those unclaimed emotions rising to the surface and irritating his skin. 

“I prefer magic, you know this... although I noticed, you’re quite a bit shorter than me like this-“

“Gods, shut up! Hinoka and Azura already tease me enough about my height, I don’t need to hear it from you too!” Leo nearly sighs as he can hear the crashing waves in Takumi’s voice and the smell of salt heavy in his hair. Even in this form, comparatively tiny to how he really was, Leo could feel Takumi’s magic and power and was once again in complete awe. 

Not enough to keep him from laughing, of course. It was rewarded with a punch, much lighter than expected, but Leo returned Takumi’s action with a shoulder bump and another laugh. 

“Any particular reason you wanted to surprise me like this?” Leo asked after his laughter subsided, watching the waves roll in so he wouldn’t be caught staring at Takumi’s face. 

“Well I wanted to do it for your birthday, but that’s so far away and I’m...”

“Impatient?”

“I’m going to drag you out to the bottom of the ocean and your family will never find you again,” Takumi grumbled, bumping into Leo once more. His head soon found Leo’s shoulder, however, and the action sent electricity rolling down his arm. 

“We just ended a war, try not to start another, alright?” Leo finally allowed himself to look over, eyes washing over Takumi’s face. Leo has already fallen for him with that inhuman smirk, just seeing him looking so innocent now only made those feelings worse, his heart hammering away in his chest as amber eyes stared back up at him. 

“My birthday is in a week, that’s why. I... I figured it’s too cold for you in Hoshido, but I wanted to see you- to spend time with you,” Takumi’s cheeks were flushed, that same coral pink that was usually tattooed across his tail, and Leo felt like melting. 

“So you’re giving me a gift for your birthday?” Leo asked, voice much too soft. 

“It’s- no, no it’s a gift for me-“

“So spending time with me is a gift?”

“Gods you idiot- just shut up and kiss me-“ Takumi reached up, a hand cupping Leo’s face and pulling him closer. There was roaring in his ears, the sound of far off storms and thunder, and when Leo pressed their lips together he sighed at the warm feeling of Takumi’s magic washing over him. He smelled of the ocean and Leo could say, true in his heart, that he quite liked the sea. 


	4. Day Four: Modern

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shrike by Hozier

He is completely doubled over, bent into the form of the guitar as if it’s something dear to hold and too painful to let go of. His fingers strum and pluck, a gentle melody echoing out and Takumi remains stunned at the door, too curious to move and alert Leo to his presence. 

It’s mournful song, or is it? Leo’s voice is so soft in a way Takumi rarely hears, one that reminds him of whispers in bed and sunlight waking them on the weekends. But it is, in every word Leo sings, an apology. Takumi knows it’s impossible for Leo to know he’s here- that he caved and had to come back and try to carve out something like what they used to have- and yet Leo is baring his soul to an empty house. 

Gods he had been so terrified of this, so nervous to admit that maybe he had his own faults, and it wasn’t just Leo’s secrecy that drove a wedge between them. They would still have to speak, to talk this through and really work on this relationship together, but with every swell of Leo’s voice and with every chord that lingered in the air Takumi could feel his resolve strengthen. This could work. It had to work- they both wanted it to work. 

“Takumi?” The song had ended before Takumi realized and suddenly his voice was caught as Leo was staring up at him, eyes glassy and red, “how long have you-“

“Uh- the door-“ Takumi held his hands up, as if trying to show his innocence, “-Niles was leaving and the door was open and-“ the guitar was set to the side, much too rough for Leo’s typically careful ways, “I know you hate to be interrupted when you play so I-“ Leo’s hands were cupping his face, shaking, clammy and tight as if he couldn’t believe Takumi was here, and Takumi took a breath, wanting to be calm for the both of them. 

“Takumi I’m so sorry-“ 

“Leo, you don’t have to-“

“No, I mean it- it was so stupid of me to take you for granted like that-“ Leo’s hands slipped, gripping Takumi’s shoulders tight, “I’m sorry. You don’t have to forgive me but I had to tell you.”

Takumi lets the words linger in the air, watching as Leo’s eyes darted around, too nervous to settle on one part of his face. 

“Why don’t we sit down?” He finally says, a hand reaching up to cover Leo’s, “I think we have a lot to talk about.”


	5. Day Five: Winter

They’re curled up on the couch, a well worn blanket over their shoulders and knees pulled up to their chests. Leo wonders if he made a mistake by choosing to stay in a place with such bad winters, but continues to watch the fire instead of voicing that concern.

“Why’d you chose to live in such a crummy place?” Takumi whined for him, his face digging further into the scarf around his neck.

“It’s a nice house,” Leo said, gripping the mug in his hands, “it was spring when I found it. This is my first winter too.” _Like this…_ it was left hanging in the air, the way that topic always was. Things were always… _like this_ now. There was no supermarket to run to, there were no handymen you could call to fix the place up, it was just… _like this._

“You don’t think you could have made it further south?”

“Takumi I did a good enough job finding this on my own, alright?” Leo hoped that’d be the end of this. There was no use arguing over something they couldn’t fix, especially if they were just doing so because they were cranky.

Takumi was quiet for a minute or two, gaze trapped on the fire before he poked his head out and took a sip of his cocoa. 

“You only were looking for a couple weeks, then… You could have gone further south-”

“You could have to,” Leo snapped, “but you decided to stay here and keep me company instead. Are you finally regretting that?”

“Don’t start that,” Takumi rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he mocked Leo, “‘I’m far too lonely living out here by myself, but that’s exactly how I like things.’ Yeah right. I bet if I hadn’t shown up you wouldn’t have made it to winter. All those scraggly vegetables won’t last forever.”

“Well it’s not like I could go to a garden center to get more,” Leo pouted, “we’ll do better next year… At least I’ll know when to start sowing the yard. And maybe I’ll whine enough to get you to come help.”

“No I did my work, I put meat on the table, you gotta do the rest,” Takumi chuckled, leaning against Leo. It was hard to feel his warmth through their layers, but he felt like the gesture was necessary. For all their bickering, Takumi had never been closer to anyone else before.

It was Leo’s turn to be quiet, for his gaze to go long and his eyes unfocused as the burning embers crackled on, but Takumi didn’t force him to speak. Leo always spoke in his own time.

“I always wanted to live out on a farm on my own…” he said softly, his gaze still staring off at some other scene, “just me and my plants and not another soul for miles…”

Takumi already knew how this sentence ended. It felt like the button to all of their conversations about the future. “But not like this…”

“No,” Leo sighed, closing his eyes. He leaned against Takumi, but not quick enough to hide the few tears crawling their way towards his chin, “of course not… never like this…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a post-apocalypse scenario where humanity is no longer in immediate danger, but it was a rough ride regardless.  
> Fun Fact: I envisioned Takumi with a country accent this whole time. Was really hard not to write it in.


	6. Day Six: Flowers

“Okay, don’t get mad,” Takumi held his hands out as Leo stepped into the apartment, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

“Why would I be mad? Did we have some argument I’ve forgotten about? Did you go snooping on my computer without my permission-” Leo paused as none of these things got a reaction, frowning a bit, “Alright, what am I not being mad over?”

“Just- promise first, okay?”

“Takumi it’s a bit foolish to make a promise when I don’t know-”

“Please? Just promise you won’t get mad for at least like, five minutes?” Takumi had his hands on Leo’s shoulder now, giving one of his famous pouts. Which, of course, Leo was absolutely weak to, and he desperately wished he could take back that conversation. What a dangerous weapon to have given Takumi.

“Fine, fine, five minutes of me not being upset. What did you do?”

“Wait why do you think I-”

“No more running around the issue, Takumi, what happened?” Leo pulled away from Takumi, slipping his shoes off and going to remove his coat.

“Well… I was doing some cleaning while you were gone, and I figured since it gets so stuffy in winter I’d go ahead and open up the windows and get some light into the place, and, well…” Takumi’s shoulders were tight, and Leo took steps into the living room to see the curtains still open, though the window was now shut tight. And beside it?

“Oh, Takumi,” Leo muttered, going to the orchid he had brought over to Takumi’s. It had been an excuse at first- a reason to come over to Takumi’s house other than just to see his boyfriend, since they had been too stubborn to admit their feelings being so strong even at the start of things. So, ever one to solve problems that didn’t exist, Leo figured a fussy plant such as an orchid would be the perfect excuse to come visit Takumi whenever he wished.

It had been a truly vibrant thing, as all store-bought orchids were. The leaves were fat and vibrant in their shade of green, the blossoms wide and a crisp white, with small purple dots lining the lip of the flower. There hadn’t been a particularly strong scent to this variety, but Leo found it endearing that Takumi swore he could smell something.

“I thought some sunlight would do it good, and maybe some fresh air too, but then all the flowers fell off the next day!” However serious his tone, Leo let out a soft sigh and turned to Takumi, pulling him into a hug.

“You’re being overdramatic, love,” it was a statement met with a soft kiss to Takumi’s forehead, and Leo loved the confused look he got next, “it’s winter, of course it’s dropping flowers. The leaves still look fantastic. Besides, the last time I was here the roots were growing out of the bottom of the container. Dare I say, it’s looking better than ever.”

“Then… I didn’t kill it?” 

“No, you probably just gave it a shock. Maybe no more days next to an open window, but it should make it through the season,” Leo smiled, “I didn’t realize you cared so much about it. I thought you thought all my plants were for nerds.” Takumi blushed, turning his head away to try and regain some composure.

“They are nerdy… but you brought that over when we first started dating,” Takumi explained, going to pick some of the fallen flowers up, “it was doing so well this whole time and then I thought I screwed something up. I guess I got attached to it and then to think I messed things up…”

“So serious over a garden-variety orchid,” Leo teased, plucking one of the petals from Takumi’s hand, “if you really want a heart attack I could bring over my fittonia- it reminds me of you the way it throws little fits.”

“I don’t throw fits! Leo this was a perfectly valid thing to be upset over!” 

Leo chuckled, going to toss the old flowers in the bin, “I suppose you’re right. Maybe I should have warned you about the losing flowers bit. This doesn’t mean I love you less, though.” The words slipped out so easily, to the point where Leo was still fussing over taking his coat off when he realized Takumi was still crouched by the orchid.

“You… love me?” Takumi’s gaze was locked on Leo, hesitant and uncertain in the way the blond had only seen in the early mornings after a particularly bad nightmare. Leo paused, not wanting to make some sudden movement and given Takumi another fright, but he felt his chest relax and a genuine smile cross his face.

“Yeah, I… I do.”


End file.
